The saying “you get what you pay for” doesn’t always apply. When it comes to financial advice, you can find a wealth of valuable information for free.

Of course, free financial advice won’t always cover your needs. Depending on the complexity of your situation, hiring a financial advisor might be the right call. But free advice can help, especially when you’re starting out or solving straightforward problems — and your wallet will thank you.

Here are five ways to find quality financial advice.

1. Ahem, let us introduce ourselves

At NerdWallet, our mission is to provide clarity for all of life’s financial decisions — all for free. Thousands of articles by NerdWallet experts cover a broad range of financial topics with the aim of making sometimes-complex topics understandable.

We’ve got you covered, whether it’s finding a credit card, comparing banking accounts, navigating the investing world, finding the best mortgage or many other money-management tools you’ll find with online financial planners. There are other popular blogs out there, as well — but at NerdWallet, our editorial independence policy makes you our first priority.

You also can get tools tailored to your specific goals by signing up for a free NerdWallet account below. It’ll give you a personalized dashboard, where you can view all your accounts in one place, set and track goals, monitor your credit score and lower your bills.

Put your money in the right place

Based on your savings and lifestyle, we'll help you understand where to invest your money — the accounts you need and how to use them — so you can get to where you want to be.

2. Make the most of your financial providers

If you have an account with a financial institution, chances are it has free tools for customers — make sure you’re taking advantage of the features. Here’s where to check:

Your bank or credit union. The amount of financial advice offered varies widely, so if this aspect is important, prioritize it when shopping for new accounts. Among NerdWallet’s picks for best banks and credit unions, Ally Bank and Simple are standouts for their budgeting and financial planning tools.

Your workplace and your 401(k) provider. Have a workplace retirement plan? Two-thirds of companies with a defined contribution plan offer tools to help workers determine how much they’ll have in retirement, according to a 2018 survey by Alight Solutions covering 187 employers and more than 8 million workers. The survey also found that nearly 80% of employers have or are in the process of implementing a financial well-being program on topics such as investing and budgeting.

Your online broker. Many brokerages have educational resources to help you learn how to invest. TD Ameritrade is a standout, offering an entire investing curriculum on its website, with everything from videos to quizzes. In the market for a broker? Our list of best brokers for beginners has many of these resources.

3. Consider a low-fee robo-advisor

If you need help getting started with investing, a robo-advisor may be a good solution. These online automated advisors use computer algorithms to build and manage your portfolio. While the service comes at a cost, fees are much cheaper than what you’d pay a human advisor. Fees can be as low as 0.25% of your account balance, with many choices at 0.50%.

Many of these companies are expanding their educational resources to include retirement planning and short-term financial goals. They also may offer access to human advisors, so even customers with small accounts can get comprehensive advice.

Here are examples of the financial advice provided by various robo-advisors:

4. Find almost-free advice

Sure, some of the best things in life are free — but when it comes to your finances, you may find that paying for help from someone (an advisor), something (a robo-advisor) or someplace (a seminar) is a better fit. Thankfully, quality financial advice is more accessible than ever.

If you’re keen for in-your-pocket advice, there are a variety of online financial planners that will do the job — including these budgeting apps and personal finance tools. Costs and services vary, though most of NerdWallet’s picks are free.

There are many resources you may be able to tap for free financial advice, depending on your financial or life circumstances. Some examples:

NerdWallet offers a list of alternatives to high-interest payday loans.

Credit counseling agencies offer help with issues ranging from bankruptcy to student loan debt to a review of your overall budget and finances. Some services are free.

Seeking tax advice? A number of organizations offer tax help for people older than 60 and those with low incomes or tax problems or in need of specific advice. We’ve rounded up nine options for free tax help.

The Foundation for Financial Planning offers pro bono financial planning services for people who are financially vulnerable, including wounded veterans, domestic violence survivors and cancer patients.

Finally, consider buying (or checking out from your library) some of our recommended personal finance books. You may also want to enroll in an online class or find a community-based program in your area that offers low-cost financial advice from a reputable source.

5. Meet with a financial advisor

Many sources of free financial advice are online, but if you prefer human interaction, there’s good news: Many financial advisors offer a free consultation for prospective clients.

Of course, you won’t get all your financial questions addressed (and for free) in one meeting. The consultation generally focuses on your goals and what it would be like to work together. But the meeting can help determine whether hiring an advisor makes sense for your needs.

Recent Online Advisor Reviews

We want to hear from you and encourage a lively discussion among our users. Please help us keep our site clean and safe by following our posting guidelines, and avoid disclosing personal or sensitive information such as bank account or phone numbers. Any comments posted under NerdWallet's official account are not reviewed or endorsed by representatives of financial institutions affiliated with the reviewed products, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Disclaimer: NerdWallet has entered into referral and advertising arrangements with certain broker-dealers under which we receive compensation (in the form of flat fees per qualifying action) when you click on links to our partner broker-dealers and/or submit an application or get approved for a brokerage account. At times, we may receive incentives (such as an increase in the flat fee) depending on how many users click on links to the broker-dealer and complete a qualifying action.